Chapter 12

On the third day of our 'cruise' we stopped for a late lunch at a fish camp at the far end of Table Rock Lake. It was an old, fisherman's hangout, and the menu featured solid, normal food. Brian absolutely loved the homemade hush puppies, and Beth Ann enjoyed fresh catfish. Not being much of a fish eater, I enjoyed a wonderful steak and baked potato.

After we ordered, and before our salads came, Sherrie Mesicowski and her thug boyfriend came in and started to give the old folks who owned the place, a hard time. She was being a total, top down, bitch, and Beth Ann was quickly running out of patience for her antics. Before Beth Ann started something, I said, "Don't look now, but I think that's your landlady."

"You have GOT to be kidding. That ... witch is owns our cabin?" Beth Ann looked at Brian and said, "Baby we're moving into another place, the minute Hillman pays Colleen and Jim. You can set your watch on that. We will not be staying in any cabin SHE owns."

Just then Sherrie's boyfriend said something decidedly threatening to the old man at the counter and raised his fist. I have no idea where it came from, but suddenly I was on my feet. In a tone of voice that brooked no argument, I said, "Try threatening me, Junior, and I'll teach you something about manners your mother obviously missed."

He swung around instantly and advanced on me to put me down, but found himself flat on his back, with the wind knocked out, and my fingers squeezing his balls into mush. The pain in my leg was manageable, but I knew I'd be paying for it later. When I saw that moron making a move to hurt the old man, I moved so fast, no one had a chance to react before I put him on the floor. I squeezed until he went white and started to shake. Then, in another of a series of bad decisions, Sherrie launched herself at me, brandishing a steak knife.

Rather than let her stab me, I used my free hand and slugged her hard in the solar plexus. I hit her hard enough, and she was surprised enough, that the air rushed out of her lungs, and she passed out. The knife slashed along my forearm, nicking me and causing a few drops of blood to flow. THAT would be good when I explained to the cops why I put him down, and cold cocked her.

Turning to the old man, I said, "Would you please call the Sheriff? These two need a temporary stay at the county's expense to teach them to behave in a civilized manner."

He dialed the phone and couldn't help laughing hysterically as he related our problem.

It was some time later, after Sherrie and her beau were taken away, and after I signed a criminal complaint against them, that the Sheriff himself walked in. He stalked right up to me and said, "Are you the guy that put Harold Smith on the ground, without so much as a peep, and a hair out of place?"

I smiled and said, "He threatened the life of the old guy at the counter, and then tried to threaten mine. He and that witch he came in with then attacked me, which required all my skill to thwart. If he got bruised in someplace other than his pride, so be it.

His girlfriend also got into the act and attempted to stab me. She did manage to slash my forearm, but it's not bad; it just stings really bad." I was still furious at those two, and what I gave them was not even a smidgen of what I wanted for them.

"Actually, you did us a favor. Harold Smith and Sherrie Mesikowski are low-lifes. They have a history of abusing people, especially old and sick folks, and getting away with it. I will give you one piece of advice. They will try to threaten you into dropping the charges. Don't fall for it. They need to experience the full measure of the Judge's displeasure, and today you gave us that chance. Let it play out." He said his peace, thanked me, and stalked off.

Beth Ann and Brian looked me like I was a Green Beret. As we walked to the boat, Brian said, "Man, Carl. You handled that dude like he was a ten-year-old brat. Where'd you learn all that, and can you teach me some of it?"

I thought that was a darn good idea and said, "As long as your mom approves, I can teach you to protect yourself and her. The world isn't as safe as it used to be, so I'd like to teach you to take care of yourself."

We both looked at Beth Ann and waited. She saw it was a lost cause. Brian wanted it too much, and she couldn't very well deny him, so she smiled and said, "Sure, as long as you promise to teach me, too – but – where did you learn to do that?"

"I was a college ball player, and we had a strength and conditioning coach that thought that martial arts was the best way to combine flexibility and strength training. We worked with him four evenings a week for four years. It was wonderful, and Brian you will love some of the stuff he taught me, as far as self-control, discipline, and personal behavior.

"If you're willing to work at it, and take it seriously, I am really willing to brush up on it, and get myself back to work out form."

Beth Ann looked at me like I was Superman, and Brian thanked me four times. I had two fans. It was a long way from the fan base I had as Brian Nelson, when I pitched for the Royals, but it was a start.

My phone was ringing before we got back into the houseboat. Mr. Bell wanted all the details of my encounter with Harold Smith and Sherrie Mesikowski. Beth Ann took the hone out of my hand and gave him a blow-by-blow description of our confrontation and the reaction of the Sheriff. "Carl, you let me talk to Sheriff Crowe, and I will handle everything as far as the criminal charges go. Sherrie Mesikowski and her buddy won't be very happy when I get off the phone with Judge Thorson and the prosecuting attorney, and you won't need to worry about them threatening you about these charges..."

He would have said more but I interrupted and walked outside onto the front deck to speak in privacy. "Mr. Bell..." I began, but got interrupted.

"Carl, I will ask you – AGAIN – to please call me Jim! You made Colleen and me millionaires when you walked into our offices. Please, do an old man a favor and call me by my name. I would love for us to be friends, as well as attorney and client, and that is hard if you keep this wall of formality up between us.

"So ... Please. Call me Jim from now on."

"Ok. Jim it is..." I said reluctantly. "Here is a bit of information you don't know, and I'm afraid to repeat in front of Beth and Brian. Sherrie Mesikowski is Beth's landlady. Also, I am certain that Harold Smith and Sherrie Mesikowski are two names that my anonymous source repeated to me in the hospital. When I heard the Sheriff say them, they struck a chord, but now that I've had time to think about it, I am positive they are involved with all that.

"Do you know who to call and what to say to pass that on? Would Judge Thorson be the best one to send it along? Is it even worth repeating to the DOJ? I have no idea, but I suspect you will.

"Before you ask, I'm scared to death that by protecting that old man from getting stabbed, I've started the ball rolling that will cause those people to go after Beth and Brian. If it was just me, I wouldn't think about it, but she's a single mom with a young boy and no way to know if she'd in danger.

"I need to know if I should move them onto your boat, where I can keep an eye on their safety. Maybe you can get her out of that cabin lease before anything bad comes down on her head because of me.